Material World

Latest Episodes:

BONUS: The Pay Check, Episode 3 May 23, 2018

Show notes

Skeptics say the gender pay gap is explained by choices women make about family and career. Rebecca Greenfield unpacks those arguments with the help of professors from Harvard and Georgetown. Then, Jordyn Holman goes inside a contract negotiation between Netflix and the comedian and actress Mo’Nique that went south.

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BONUS: The Pay Check, Episode 2 May 16, 2018

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There was a brief moment 150 years ago when it looked like women might get equal pay for equal work. But they didn’t—and that set the standard for decades to come. On this episode of the Pay Check, Rebecca Greenfield revisits a Civil War-era sex scandal that set the stage for the pay gap debates we're having right now. She talks to Claire Suddath about how a century of rules and laws saying what women can and can’t do have made it easy for companies to pay women less.

One big reason the gender pay gap still exists is because of a phenomenon called "occupational sorting"— the idea that some jobs are dominated by women, and those jobs often pay less. That didn't just happen. Claire and Rebecca sort through how history determined the market value for women. Then Claire talks with Lilly Ledbetter, whose fight for gender equality at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. seemed like an open and shut case—until a loophole in the law denied her justice.

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BONUS: Listen to The Pay Check May 09, 2018

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In the first episode of The Pay Check, we go deep on pay discrimination. Host Rebecca Greenfield tells us about an equal pay fight in her own family. We take you inside a gender discrimination case against Goldman Sachs that’s been unfolding for over a decade. And we look at how companies magically make their pay gaps disappear—without actually paying women more.

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Movie Theaters Want You Back, So They're Rushing to Modernize Dec 26, 2017

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For many people, going to movies in the theater is more of a hassle than a joy -- why sit in an uncomfortable chair and spend upwards of $10 to get a ticket, plus the cost of popcorn and a drink? As the number of shows on television and subscription services surges and home theater systems improve, it takes a lot to get customers to leave their homes.

Lindsey Rupp and Jenny Kaplan talk with Anousha Sakoui, who covers the cinema and film industry for Bloomberg, about how the movie theaters industry got into this mess and the challenges that face them in regaining media dominance. Some startups, like MoviePass, which allows subscribers to see a movie every day for a month for $9.95 per month, are trying to getting customers to go to more films by offering them “bad-movie insurance,” says Chief Executive Officer Mitch Lowe. Cinemark, the third-largest movie chain, is also offering a subscription service and upgrading its theaters so customers can enjoy nicer seats and even perks like food and alcohol. Will these efforts to modernize be enough to win back consumers?

Every other week, hosts Jenny Kaplan and Lindsey Rupp guided you through the consumer universe, breaking down what's going on with all the things people buy. This will be the last episode of Material World.

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Wal-Mart Gets Ready For Virtual Reality Shopping Dec 12, 2017

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Retail has been undergoing a rapid, extreme time of change that hasn't happened since online shopping came on the scene 20 years ago. Companies like Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer in the world, are trying to get ahead of the next trends in how people will buy stuff. They're making a big bet on virtual reality and augmented reality, and this week Jenny Kaplan and Lindsey Rupp take you behind the scenes to use Wal-Mart as a case study for how you might buy a tent or even a dress in the future.

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Global Warming Is Coming for Your Shopping Cart Nov 28, 2017

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The impact of climate change on the things we buy is already noticeable, but it’s bound to get worse. In future decades, the food we eat, beverages we drink and clothes we wear may all be altered by the warming planet. In the second of two episodes about climate change, Jenny and Lindsey dig into the future impact of global warming on shoppers. They talk with Andrea Illy, Chief Executive Officer of IllyCaffe; Dr. Peter Howard, economics director at the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University's School of Law; and Cecilia Strömblad Brännsten, a sustainability business expert at H&M.

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How Climate Change Affects What You Buy Nov 15, 2017

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Climate change is already worsening extreme weather events -- from hurricanes to wildfires -- and beginning to affect the U.S. economy and consumers. This episode is the first in a two-part series on climate and commerce. This week, Lindsey and Jenny dive into how changes in the environment are showing up in stores and businesses. Dr. Peter Howard, the economics director at the institute for policy integrity at NYU's school of law, explains how changing global temperatures and climate could have ripple effects on businesses and shoppers. Bloomberg's Jordyn Holman discusses her reporting in Puerto Rico after it was hit by Hurricane Maria and the director of the Florida Department of Citrus describes Hurricane Irma's impact on growers.

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Yogurt Battle Puts Big Food Struggles on Display Oct 31, 2017

Show notes

Big Food's having a tough time, and yogurt is no exception. Large, bureaucratic food companies have trouble keeping up with consumers looking for fresh ingredients and new products. Newcomers like Chobani are beating out old standbys such as General Mills' Yoplait and DannoneWave's Dannon. This week on Material World, Jenny and guest host Craig Giammona dig into the evolution of yogurt, the changing consumer and the lessons yogurt provides for the rest the grocery store.

Correction: A previous version of this episode misstated Gary Hirshberg's last name.

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Is New York Fashion Week Still On Trend? Oct 17, 2017

Show notes

Last month, fashion lovers got a taste of what's going to be in this spring as designers and models took to runways from New York to London to Paris and Milan. But as customers look for instant gratification and retailers rush to get clothes on shelves faster, is New York Fashion Week as relevant and agenda-setting as it once was? Lindsey Rupp and Alex Barinka talk with Xcel Brands Chief Executive Officer Bob D'Loren, retail consultant Gabriella Santaniello, and Tricia Smith, the head of women's merchandising at Nordstrom.

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The Evolution of Coffee, America's Favorite Drink Oct 03, 2017

Show notes

The majority of Americans drink at least one cup of coffee every day. The kinds of drinks and the companies producing them have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Consumers increasingly want their caffeine kick to be gourmet and iced. Meanwhile, artisanal coffee companies are being snatched up by big roasters, much as craft brewers have been acquired by bigger counterparts. This week on Material World, Jenny and Lindsey dig into what's happening with the country's favorite stimulant. They talk with the leaders of Illycaffe Spa, La Colombe Coffee Roasters and Blue Bottle Coffee Co. about why gourmet coffee is growing, how cold drinks got so hot and why industry consolidation is expected to continue.

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